Music: Best Singer-Songwriter Guitarists

[OzzyFan]

I want to take a poll from anyone willing to answer, who are your top 10 or top 5 (or less if you don't have that many) singer-songwriter guitarists? The ranking system is fluid or opinion based. Could be based off of best riffs, best solos, best melodies, best integration of multiple things, most talented, best solos, best flow, etc. If I had to be honest, I'm doing this for 2 reasons. 1, I want to see some new music to look into within this genre. 2, I am really looking for some straight up soft blues rock/pop blues rock in the singer-songwriter fashion to listen to and see if I can add to my repeat collection of listening music (generally cruising stuff). But I truly want to hear opinions on anything and everything around this topic (contemporary and all time), could go from Dylan to John Mayer to Ray LaMontagne to Paul Simon to Leonard Cohen and beyond.

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[davemess]

Lots of obvious well known choices but i would suggest giving Richard Thompson a try. Great songwriter and one of the best Guitarists around.

1952 Vincent Black Lightning
Beaswing
Shoot Out the Lights

 

[Jumptheshark]

Harry Chapin

 

[kihei]

Just to clarify, I went with lead guitar guys

Jimi Hendrix
Neil Young
Mark Knopfler
Kevin Shields
Richard Thompson
Bruce Cockburn
Eric Clapton
George Harrison
Liam Gallagher
Matt Bellamy

 

[peate]

Me.

 

[frisco]

Jackson Browne
Bruce Springsteen
Rick Springfield

My Best-Carey

 

[Jack Straw]

James Taylor
Gordon Lightfoot
Joni Mitchell
Carol King
Ralph McTell
John Prine
Johnny Cash

 

[Know Your Enemy]

Gordon Lightfoot
Mississippi Fred McDowell

 

[WhoozYerrDaddy]

John Fogerty

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Glen Campbell.

 

[jcs0218]

Sparky.

 

[AndreRoy]

He didn’t fall into the genre called “singer-songwriter” but it’s difficult to think of a better combination singer and guitarist than the late, great Terry Kath. Picture Ray Charles’s voice with Jimi’s guitar playing and you’ve got Kath. Lots of people have been great guitarists and mediocre singers or vice versa; few have truly excelled at both and Terry was one of those few.

 

[PeteWorrell]

Peter Green

 

[Mescaleroman]

Phil Ochs
Roddy Frame ( Aztec Camera )
Rob Dickinson
Ron Hynes
Chris Spedding
Afie Jurvanen ( Bahamas )

 

[Teemu]

John Prine
Tom T. Hall
Willie Nelson
Warren Zevon
Nick Drake
Sufjan Stevens
Mountain Goats

 

[Jack Straw]

Bob Marley

 

[Soldier13Fox]

From a modern take

Kelly Joe Phelps
John Moreland
Tyler Childers
Colter Wall

 

[Lshap]

Sticking to the OP's guidelines, the musicians I'd most love to hear when pared down to their voice, a guitar, and their own songs:

Paul Simon
Paul McCartney (I believe he was also in a band)
James Taylor
Bob Dylan
Joni Mitchell
Bruce Springsteen
Cat Stevens
Eric Clapton
Dolly Parton
Stephen Stills

 

[frisco]

Jackson Browne
Bruce Springsteen
Rick Springfield

My Best-Carey

I've got to add J.R. Cash and Waylon Jennings.

My Best-Carey

 

[frisco]

Glen Campbell.

As a huge Campbell fan, I don't think of him too much as a songwriter but a superior interpreter of songs written by others. Legendary.

My Best-Carey

 

[TheAngryHank]

Jack White
Elvis Costello
Jim Croce
Lenny Kravitz

The guy from modest mouse.

 

[Mescaleroman]

Billy Bragg
John Otway
Kevin Kinney
Andy White

 

[NyQuil]

Some good suggestions in here.

A few others that I don't think have been mentioned:

-Sturgill Simpson
-José Gabriel González
-Bahamas
-Bon Iver
-Joey Ryan and Kenneth Pattengale (of Milk Carton Kids)
-Clarence Greenwood (as Citizen Cope)

 

[Jack Straw]

Tom Waits

 

[barriers]

Prince, Prince, Prince, Prince, and Prince Rogers Nelson